The model for the Health Information Environment that will fulfill these requirements must:

• Create a market for health IT rather than forestalling one.
• Enhance existing and new sub-networks by interconnecting without overburdening them.
• Minimize "barriers to entry" in its development.
• Be built upon existing infrastructure (no "rip and replace" and "no new wires") including:
  • Internet standards, particularly http, SOAP, and SSL
  • The Internet itself as a means of transport and interconnection
  • Current IT platforms (e.g., labs, rx, EMR)
  • Current master patient index (MPI) systems and technologies
  • Current patient-doctor and patient-organization (e.g. institution or plan) relationships for authentication
  • Current standards identified by the Federal Consolidated Health Informatics Initiative (CHI) including, but not limited to ANSI, ASC X12, NCPDP and HL7 industry standards.